1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bathroom fixtures and, more particularly, to a shower stall configured to receive a removable bathing tub.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Shower stalls typically include at least one wall and, generally, a planar floor having a shower drain wherein the wall and the floor define a shower cavity and an ingress and egress opening. A door, such as a pivotable door or a curtain, usually is provided across the ingress and egress opening to allow easy entry into the shower cavity and to create a privacy barrier. A water-dispensing head and a spigot is usually positioned adjacent to the at least one wall, wherein water flow to the water-dispensing head is controlled by the spigot. In operation, water flows through the spigot to the water-dispensing head, through the water-dispensing head into the shower cavity, and finally is received in the shower drain, along with soap, shampoo, and dirt.
Because shower stalls typically are not designed to retain a specified volume of water, the floor portion of the shower is usually only slightly recessed into a floor of the bathroom or raised slightly with respect to the bathroom floor. The inherent design of shower stalls is particularly advantageous in applications where enhanced access to the shower stall is desired, such as in those cases where a person is physically challenged. As a result, the typical shower stall design generally is not designed to provide for a partial submersion bath.
Because some people prefer to draw and temporarily retain a desired volume of water for a partial submersion bath, as well as shower, shower stalls are often combined with bathing tubs to form a shower stall and bathing tub combination bathing fixture. Bathing tubs generally include a tub body forming a bathing recess, wherein the bathing recess is configured for receiving and temporarily retaining water. The bathing tub is positioned on a bathroom floor and the shower stall is erected around the bathing tub. Water is then either drawn into the bathing recess for a submersion bath or routed to the water-dispensing head and dispensed into the shower cavity. However, because bathing tubs typically have at least one side wall extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bathroom floor across the ingress and egress opening, the accessibility advantages of the shower stall standing alone are effectively eliminated.
Because a shower stall and bathing tub combination is versatile, and because of the vast number of people who do not require enhanced access to a bathing fixture, many residential and leasehold structures are equipped with shower stall and bathing tub combination bathing fixtures. However, if the need for enhanced accessibility does arise, which is an ever increasing proposition as life expectancies increase, it is often an expensive and time-consuming proposition to convert a shower stall and bathing tub into a just a shower stall. Moreover, once the need for enhanced access ends, it is also expensive to convert a shower stall back into the preferred shower stall and bathing tub configuration.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a versatile bathing fixture having a shower stall configured to receive a removable bathing tub.
In one embodiment, the shower stall generally includes at least one wall and a floor portion, with the at least one wall and the floor portion defining a shower cavity. The floor portion further defines a shower drain configured to be connected to a wastewater conduit.
The removable bathing tub generally includes a tub body forming a bathing recess for receiving and holding water, a tub drain configured to be fluidly connected to the shower drain defined by the floor portion of the shower stall, an overflow orifice fluidly connected to the tub drain, the bathing recess, and a riser orifice.
When the need for enhanced accessibility is required, the shower stall stands alone, without the bathing tub. However, once the need for enhanced accessibility has ended, such as when a tenant vacates an apartment, the bathing tub can be fitted into the shower cavity. The conversion generally includes the steps of:
a. providing a watertight seal between the shower drain and the tub drain;
b. inserting the bathing tub into the shower cavity; and
c. caulking seams formed at intersections of the wall of the shower stall and the tub body.
Additional steps for reverting to the shower stall alone include:
d. removing caulk;
e. removing the bathing tub from the shower cavity; and
f. removing the watertight seal between the shower drain and the tub drain.
One important feature of the present invention is the ability to provide a bathing fixture configured to mirror the life cycle of an individual while simultaneously obviating the need for substantial remodeling or renovation. For example, when the child is young, the bathing tub allows a caregiver to bathe the child in a shallow bath. As the child grows older, and can bathe without assistance, the child has the choice of showering or drawing a bath. However, if the child should subsequently become physically challenged, either during childhood or much later in life, the bathing tub can be easily removed to provide enhanced access to the shower stall. Once the need for enhanced access to the shower stall passes, the bathing tub can be reinstalled according to the needs of a new user, without substantially disrupting plumbing or other objects surrounding the shower stall.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the description of the preferred embodiments taken together with the attached drawings in which like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.